Idioms in German

Learn idioms in German. Build fluency with personalized exercises, chats, and video recommendations.

German idioms are fixed expressions that have a meaning different from the literal translation of their individual words. They are commonly used in everyday conversation and can add color and authenticity to your speech. Here are some common German idioms:

Unter den Hammer ("under the hammer") = being sold at auction / very cheap
Da liegt der Hund begraben ("that's where the dog is buried") = that's the core issue
Ich verstehe nur Bahnhof ("I only understand train station") = I don't understand anything / it's all Greek to me
Den Nagel auf den Kopf treffen ("hit the nail on the head") = to describe exactly the right thing
Jemandem einen Bären aufbinden ("to tie a bear on someone") = to tell someone a tall story / lie
Ins Fettnäpfchen treten ("to step into the fat box") = to put your foot in it / embarrass yourself

These idioms often reflect cultural attitudes, history, and humor unique to the German-speaking world. Learning a few can make your German sound much more natural and lively.

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